Till Your Heart Stops Beating
by The Aftermath Is Secondary
Summary: Abigail grew up on stories of the Killjoys. They were brave outlaws fighting against the world. But in time, stories fade, and people change. The Killjoy population is little, and fighting to stay alive. Abigail is thrown into a world which goes against life as she knew it, but is she ready to leave everything behind? Danger Days fic, *slightly* AU. R&R!
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own Danger Days, My Chemical Romance, nor any music I may reference to in this story. All rights go to their respected owners.**

Chapter One

My name is Abigail. Or, rather, Number 30427. As my brother once said, names are just a formality.

I am seventeen years old. In just under a year, Better Living will decide what they want to do with me. I shall either remain in Battery City to reproduce, if they deem me healthy enough, or, if I am unlucky enough, I shall forgo training to work for security, in some form or other. If they find me skilled, they might put me in the main building, working for Korse. My mother seems to have high hopes that I shall be held in high esteem while working in the main building.

However, there is also the off chance I am not suited for adulthood.

I don't enjoy thinking about that chance.

Right now, however, I am bettering myself in school. Better Living has created a most wonderful system of education. It's inside Battery City, and almost all the classrooms have a view of the main building, the Tower. They say it keeps us focused on our goals, and helps us be the best we can.

Miss Caroline agrees. She is my teacher. She says it's wonderful how the company can be so thoughtful in the way it encourages us. The way it gives us a home. A purpose. Miss Caroline is also a good friend of my mother's. She says she remembers me from the Dark Days. Before Better Living had fixed everything. She had lived next to us, and had even baby-sat my brother and me numerous times.

My mother admires her. To be a teacher, you must first join those in the Tower. And from there, if you show certain signs, they test you how well you retain and explain knowledge. If you pass, you become a teacher. My mother says that she was always very smart and always helped her out when she needed it. My mother says it's amazing how great my education is.

My mother works in the Tower. As does my father. They are lucky ones. They could choose companionship. Unlike many others. Many of my friends from school are without parents. They reside in group homes on the outskirts of Battery City, but are still considered part of it. They were born of the Reproducers. Some know their mother. None know their father.

Those working in the Tower can choose anyone they deem worthy of their companionship, be they Reproducers, security personnel, or other Tower workers. The Tower workers give them a free pass out of their current job, if they choose so. A family of three can live off of one Tower salary. A family of four is rare, and only for those with two parents who are Tower workers.

I am lucky.

I live in a comfortable estate, just outside Battery City, where everything is calm, and you are only a short walk away from the nearest store in Battery City. A short walk further away from the city lives my best friend, Number 30423, Liam, along with his brother, Number 30716, Ralph.

My mother seems convinced Liam and I will both be chosen for employment in the Tower, since we are both two of the brightest students in our class. My father believes Liam has the skills of Head Leader. Which is a very big deal.

There is also Ralphie, who is almost 15 now. He has big shoes to fill, needless to say. But Ralphie admires his brother very much, and has fulfilled nearly every task his teacher has placed in front of him. He has a youthful spirit, with dreams as tall as the Tower itself. He dreams of being Head of Security. For what reason is beyond me, but I think he likes whatever control he can get, since he is used to Liam making almost all the decisions.

The three of us are nearly inseparable. It's remarkable how well Liam and Ralphie get along, since many siblings often quarrel over the most petty of things.

My mother says we have the potential to rule Better Living one day. Liam always says he'd be afraid of that much power. I think he's being humble. Power is good. Power is the only way to get things done. It's like an unspoken rule. Although it isn't as obvious as some of our spoken rules.

On the right side of the door to every classroom, there is a framed paper. There are also copies in each of our handbooks, on the bulletin boards in our classroom, and on the teacher's desk. It is our principles.

I never understood the naming. Why they aren't just rules and regulations never clicked with me. Miss Caroline said something about principles being a nicer term. I responded by asking her why, since making it nicer would simply give rule-breakers less guilt. She responded by saying that Better Living is always watching, and rule-breakers will not be tolerated. Everybody knows that.

I asked my father once. He said the word principle should mean more, and make the principles last longer in you, so you are always a good person. That's what his teacher told him, at least.

Our principles state:  
1) Your uniform is to be worn everyday.  
2) Your teacher and peers must be given your utmost respect.  
3) You are to be on time every morning.  
4) You are to recite our pledge with dignity and honor.  
5) You should always strive to do better.  
6) Better Living is your future, so treat it well.

Those are just our basics, however. There are many other rules governing us. For example, curfew is ten-thirty sharp. We are not to leave Zone 6 unless given special permission. No harboring criminals. The usual, really.

I was never not content. My life is enviable, actually. By no means do I let it go to my head. I am a normal seventeen year old. I go to school, same as others. I walk home, same as others. I go shopping for my family, same as others.

My only fear is uncertainty. Even though Better Living has wiped nearly all of it out. The only thing I really have to worry about is-

"-whether or not I'll make it to the Tower." Liam voiced my own fear. We were walking home from school, and just crossing onto Gulf Road.

"Liam, you can be so BLIND sometimes! You're obviously going to make it." I rolled my eyes as I kept time with his feet while we walked. "You'll probably be number one in the class!"

"I highly doubt that."

"Who else is there to stop you?" I asked, laughing at his unreasonableness.

"You could give me a pretty good run for my money." He said, looking at me. His green eyes glimmered.

"I highly doubt THAT." I chuckled. We were now halfway down the block, almost to Daisy's. "Look, today's my food run for the family. I'll catch up with you later?"

"Sounds good. Come over when you can. We can finish science." Liam waved and continued down the block.

I pushed open the glass door as the bell above me rang. The shelves were always lined with food, beverages, and most kinds of supplies. I pulled out my list from my pocket and smoothed it out. The first thing I needed was more toothbrushes.

Toiletries were located midway down the third aisle. When I turned down it I saw a peculiar sight. There was a man, dressed in slightly soiled black jeans and a white jacket that was too big for him, even though he was taller than me. But the strangest part was the helmet he wore on his head. It was gray, but the paint was fading along the back, revealing a shade of red. It had obviously been painted to blend in, since helmets aren't exactly the most normal of headwear.

Getting a strange vibe, I stood behind the shelves in aisle two, and pushed the boxes of cereal aside to watch what he was doing. He looked around quickly and shoved a pack of four toothbrushes inside his jacket. Before he could grab toothpaste, I decided to stop him. I went around the side of the aisle.

"Hey!" I said with authority but not extreme volume, trying not to make a scene.

He apparently had the same idea. He shoved the toothpaste in quickly and started walking just an ounce faster then a normal pace and headed for the door. I jogged after him. He exited, as the bell jingled. I got to the door, made sure nothing was in my pockets, and pulled the door open. I walked outside and looked right, thinking it was someone from Battery City. No one was there.

I looked left, and saw him sprinting farther away from the city. "Hey!" I yelled. He turned, and ran faster than I've ever seen anyone run. I sprinted to try to stay close enough. When I was within a couple of yards, I slowed down, and cut behind a restroom. It worked.

His footsteps slowed, thinking he was in the clear. I walked around the side of the building and ran towards him. By the time he saw me, it was already too late. I jumped on him and tackled him to the ground. "Hey! Who are you? Why'd you steal that stuff?"

He simply grunted in return and pushed me off him. He scrambled back on his hands, walking like a crab, but I grabbed his shoulders and pinned him to the ground.

"WHO ARE YOU?" I yelled at him. He breathed heavily, the running taking its toll on him. I lifted the plastic part of the helmet up. At once I took in the brown and blonde hair, the hazel eyes, the rough-looking face. "Holy crap. James?"

His eyes widened as he slammed the helmet down again. He scooted out from under me and took off. This time, I didn't have the strength to follow.

**What'd you guys think? This is my first Danger Days fic I've written, so feedback would be lovely. I was really excited to get this online, since I've been working on it a while. I'd love to hear what you guys think. Review? :)**


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

I walked absent-mindedly. The air seemed heavier. My feet lagged almost sluggishly along the pavement. I was so confused. James hadn't been around for years. No one knew what happened, really. It was like he fell of the face of the planet. Everyone had crazy theories, but I never believed them. I didn't think anyone did. My foot fell down the curb. I had gotten to the end of the block already. Regaining my composure, I continued walking at my previous pace as though nothing had happened.

This was insane. I massaged my temples. If James was around, maybe everyone else was too. Maybe... Maybe the rumors were true. He was heading out of the city. But, residing in other zones was dangerous. Not only because it was illegal, but it's not really livable, to my knowledge.

I decided to drop it. As Miss Caroline always said, over-thinking and over-analyzing things would only drive you crazy. Not to mention that getting involved would not be the greatest idea. Who knows whether James was considered an outlaw or a criminal. Then I could be in serious trouble just by affiliation.

When I got to my house, I dropped my bag on the rocking chair on the porch. I unzipped it and began digging inside for my house key. Before I could insert it into the lock, the door opened, my mother standing on the other side of it. "Hey, honey!" She greeted me with a smile.

"Hey, mom." I said, picking up my backpack from the rocking chair. My mother held the door open for me as I shuffled in and set my bag at the foot of the stairs. I heard the lock click shut as I walked into the kitchen and took a banana from a basket on the table. Before I could peel it, my mother snatched it from my hand. "Mom!"

"You have to make sure the dress fits for tomorrow night. You can eat after." She placed it on the table and motioned for me to go upstairs.

I sighed heavily as I trudged upstairs. The dress was laid out on my bed, in all its glory. It was actually pretty attractive, I would give my mom that. The dress was soft in my arms, and rather heavy as I took it into the bathroom. After managing to get it on properly, I called my mother up, who looked close to tears.

"My baby's growing up!" She smiled as she looked at me in the mirror. "Now we just need to get you out of those shoes!" She laughed and pointed at my high-tops.

"Not likely anytime soon. I have to run. Liam and I are gonna finish our science homework."

My mother gave her consent and I changed back into my uniform and slung my backpack over my shoulder. I walked the couple minutes to Liam's house.

He lived close enough to walk, and similar to myself, he lived just outside Battery City. His house was relatively the same size as mine, and both his parents also worked in the Tower. I love their house. Everything is neat and symmetrical and you wouldn't find a speck of dust on the floor. I don't know how Liam's mother has time for cleaning, although sometimes I think Ralphie does a lot of it too.

I knocked four times on the door, two with long spaces between, and two quick- our not-so-secret code. "Hey!" Ralphie opened the door for me. I stepped in, slipped off my shoes and gave him a smile.

"Hey, Ralphie! Where's Liam?"

"He's upstairs. He didn't tell me you were coming."

"It must have just slipped him. We've got science homework to finish." I smiled and shrugged. "Chemistry. What can you do?"

"Alright. Let me know when you're done. We can all play a game or something." Ralphie grinned, a plan already forming in his mind.

I nodded and headed up the stairs. The beige living room gave way into an off-white hallway. I walked to the second door on the right and knocked. No answer. I tried the one opposite it. Liam swung it open. "Sorry, Abby! I was doing some spastic cleaning." He explained and laughed.

"Gotcha. Should we just use the loft?" I asked, and signaled the the original door I had knocked on. Liam said sure as we made our way in and got comfortable on the two beanbags on the floor. I dragged out my binder from my backpack and placed it on my crossed legs. "Should we start with chemistry?"

"Sure." Liam fished out his binder while I dug in the pocket to find the packet we had been given today.

"Hey, Liam?" I asked. He caught my tone and looked up, wary of what I was going to say. "You know those rumors about the runaways?" He nodded, looking a bit confused. "Do you believe them?"

He opened his mouth to speak but shut it suddenly, unsure of what to say. I could tell his mind was buzzing. It was suddenly very quiet. The spacious room now seemed huge, and I seemed like a mouse, just drowning inside. Everything seemed... Different. Wrong. Strange. The usually calming light blue of the room seemed unsettling. What was wrong with me?

"I don't think so." Liam's voice broke me out of my haze. "I mean, Zone 6 is the only inhabitable Zone, right? How would they even make it?"

"I guess that's true." I looked down. How could I have been so stupid to actually think... But then... Where did James come from?

"Why?"

My head snapped up at the word. "What?" I asked. He repeated the question. "Oh, no reason, really." I fibbed. "I heard some kids talking about it today and it just got me thinking."

"What aren't you telling me?" Liam looked me dead in the eyes. He knew. He can see right through me. Always could. Even as little kids, when I would tell him I wasn't the one stealing his mother's homemade chocolate chip cookies.

"Nothing. That's all there is to it." I kept eye contact, refusing to break it. Maybe he'd drop it.

Wish granted.

"Alright. Come on, let's finish this packet." He slipped his out of the pocket and turned to the last page.

-XXX-

"Thanks guys! I'll see you at the ceremony tomorrow!" I waved to Liam and Ralphie, who were standing at the door. They had offered to walk me home since the sun was setting, but I had insisted on going myself. After all, they would've had to walk back in the dark anyway. This way I was alone with my thoughts.

I remember all the stories the kids used to tell under the slides at recess. That the runaways were escaped convicts who weren't any good for civilization. Stuff like that. Only whispers and gossip that we couldn't talk about in class, but still. As young kids, you believed nearly everything. They had a name, too. I don't remember if the runaways had crowned themselves with the title, or if the citizens had decided to name them themselves. What were they called?

That was gonna eat at me. It was on the tip of my tongue, too. It was something like-

Crack!

I stopped dead in my tracks. I was being followed. The sun was nearly down, and in ten minutes it would be dark out. I needed to get home. I faked a cough, pretending I didn't notice the noise, and continued to walk, keeping my mind silent to concentrate on whether I could hear anything else from my stalker.

Nothing but faint footsteps every now and then. I quickened my pace on the final block and ran up the stairs. My key was out of my pocket in a heartbeat, and I unlocked the door without a second thought. I slammed the door shut and turned to look through the peephole. Nothing.

Maybe it was my imagination. Maybe this whole thing was my imagination. Maybe James wasn't real and no one followed me and this day never really happened. Even though I knew it wasn't true.

"Honey! Are you okay?" My mother jogged out of the kitchen into the hallway, my father right behind.

"Oh, yeah, mom. Just tired. I think I'm gonna retire for the night." I told them.

"Are you sure? You haven't eaten dinner." My father looked shocked.

"Yeah, I'll see you guys in the morning." I hugged them both good-night and walked up to my room. The light green room soothed my nerves as I walked over to the closet and slid on my pajamas. Something caught the corner of my eye. A shape. A man. Out my window.

I ran to the frame, and pushed the blinds to get a better look. No one was there.

I backed away, shut the blinds and climbed into bed, promising myself this was all in my head. Everything was just from the stress of the ceremony tomorrow. After that, everything will be normal and fine. No worries. My breathing slowed and my eyelids slowly pushed down.

Killjoys. That's what the runaways were called, I remembered as I drifted off. Killjoys.

**Thanks for everyone who's reading and reviewing or alerting. I really appreciate it. :) I love hearing feedback from people. Also- I'm sorry it's taken a while to get this chapter out. I'm gunna try to have a new one out every Friday. I know this chapter was kinda slow, but the next chapter is when things get more exciting. Trust me- I already have it written. Review? :)**


	3. Chapter 3

**Okay, so, I probably should've mentioned this earlier, but I'm just gonna tell you now. If you guys were wondering about James (you'll find out the connection later), I took the Killjoy personas and gave them names which are coincidently MCR's middle names, since real people aren't allowed on this site. So James=Mikey. I hope that made sense. xD**

Chapter Three

My alarm clock went off, screaming into the eleven o'clock air. I sat up straight in bed and slammed the snooze. The noise put me on edge. I stretched my arms and yawned, keeping silent to hear my parents downstairs. It sounded like just small talk. I pushed off my comforter and swung my legs off the side of the bed. My feet met my soft, green slippers, which I slid on.

I trudged to the bathroom, and shut the door softly behind me. The room smelled of violet. My brown hair had decided to curl over the course of the night, and even after I ran my brush through it, it remained in the same disheveled position. I washed my face and brushed my teeth before heading downstairs to face the day.

"Good morning, sleeping beauty." My mom said as she ruffled my hair, making it worse than it was five minutes ago. "Your father's gone out to the store since you neglected to pick up the groceries this week." She said, sternly.

"Oh my gosh!" I remembered suddenly. "I'm so sorry. I was out of it. My mind was running all over the place."

"Just don't make a habit of it. I imagine you're excited for the ceremony tonight," she scolded as she walked to the sink and turned on the tap to fill a glass with water, "but you have to remember your chores. You're not eighteen yet."

"Sorry, Mother. I'll start as soon as I finish breakfast."

She opened a prescription bottle and downed a pill with the glass of water. "I'll be cleaning the attic today, so if you need anything, take the stairs from the hallway by my bedroom."

My mother kissed my cheek and whisked away up the stairs, leaving me to scavenge through the nearly empty cabinets for my breakfast. There was bread underneath the counter and I toasted a slice, buttering it the perfect amount. I sat on one of the stools along the island, staring at the radio, too afraid to turn it on.

The public only gets a few stations. One is general public news, another is teenager public news regarding school and things of that nature, and the last is just a comedic station, though no one funny was ever on. All the other stations needed passcodes. Those were used by security personnel, and special workers. Rumor was the Killjoys had their own station. No one was brave enough to check.

I stuck my plate in the dish washer and hit the button to start the cycle. Time passed rather quickly as I kept my mind entertained by the chores I had to do. In no time, the dirty laundry was in the laundry room, the clean laundry had been folded and distributed each person, the kitchen counters were sprayed and cleaned, and my bedroom floor was vacuumed and looking nicer than it had in weeks. As I stepped back and admired my work, my mother meandered in.

"Your father just got home, and we're going to eat a quick dinner and then get ready for tonight, okay?"

"Okay, Mother." I smiled as she headed back out the door and down the stairs. I was so not ready.

-XXX-

The dress was definitely out of my comfort zone. After years of rarely wearing anything but our gray uniforms and occasional jeans, I had never worn a dress that I could recall. Needless to say, I felt ridiculous coming out of my bathroom in a full-out ball gown.

It reached the floor, and was a rich blue that gave you a serene feeling. There was a ribbon that separated the top from the bottom, and it was one-sleeved, the sleeve made of faux blue felt flowers along my left shoulder. My hair was down and my mother had offered to curl it, so once I had first put on the dress she got to work.

My usually wavy brown hair decided not to be as stubborn tonight, and allowed my mother to curl it. She put foundation and eye shadow on my face, which really topped the cake for the most uncomfortable. Once it was all done, I didn't look half bad. I never realized how much work goes into being a girl, since I had never bothered much about my appearance. I hadn't really cared.

By the time we got to the school, my mom had realized I was wearing my blue high-tops. She scolded me, but there was nothing she could do now. Not that anyone could see them anyway- the dress was so long.

I spotted Liam by the front doors and said good-bye to my parents. Liam was wearing a tux with a blue tie on- the same color of my dress. "Well don't you look fancy." I laughed while walking over to him. He blushed a bit and looked down at his outfit.

"Have you seen yourself?" Liam looked back at me. "Is that... Make-up?" He asked, putting his hand up to his mouth in faux-surprise.

"Hah, hah. Yes, it is, actually." I stuck my tongue out at him.

"Well, I happen to think you look lovely." Liam smiled. I blushed and looked at the ground. "And the sneakers are a nice touch."

We headed into the gymnasium where all of this year's graduates were starting to sit down in the rows of chairs set aside for them. They all wore orange robes, representing their class color. I had to say, I was glad my year is blue.

Liam and I were two of the three students chosen to attend the ceremony of the class ahead of us. The top three of the class are brought onto the stage, introduced to the crowd and are presented with an apprenticeship for the Tower for a year, until we ourselves graduate. Those students wear their own class colors. This is to signify the greatness of our people and provide hope for next generations. So they say.

I managed to find the three seats set aside for us by the far wall, and we made our way over. It was then we saw Mark leaning against the wall, scoping the place out. Mark was an interesting character- he was smart without trying. So, naturally, he made it obvious he wasn't trying. He wanted everyone to know he didn't care. His light brown curly hair was always disheveled, and I couldn't imagine the pain he must be going through wearing that tux.

Mark smirked when he saw us coming. "I like your shoes." He pointed to my sneakers. "I would kill to be out of this thing." He pulled at the neck of his tux like it was poisonous.

"One night won't kill you." Liam said and sat down at his seat.

"This one shouldn't, but the next one might." I laughed, thinking about next year at our own ceremony, and sat down next to Liam.

Mark groaned in response and flopped down on the last seat on the other side of me. This was gonna be a long night.

-XXX-

"Remind me why we're here again, Poison?" I asked my brother. This seemed like a really stupid idea to me. We were breaking into the school... On the night of the ceremony... That was just asking for trouble. And Dracs.

"Because- we need to take down a Drac. The uniform will be helpful for infiltration and the walkie-talkie will keep us on the inside. Not to mention help Dr. D." Poison explained for what was no doubt the twentieth time. He ran a hand through his red hair, before placing his mask on. It was time.

Ghoul pulled on his zombie mask and Jet pulled on his astronaut helmet. I wiped a bit of the gray spray-paint off the back of my red helmet before pulling it over my head. The four of us pulled our ray-guns out of our holsters, and nodded silently to each other. Poison opened the door and led us into the school.

The hallway was eerily familiar as I quietly walked down, both hands grasping my gun, finger on the trigger waiting for someone to jump out. I remember walking through these hallways with friends, not even realizing how horrible the higher power was. I remember my best friend, my first crush, my old family...

I got my grip back on reality, squeezing the gun tighter. We reached a fork in the hallway and Poison led us right. We walked past empty classrooms, shadows engulfing the desks and horrible smiling faces everywhere.

When we began to hear voices and applause, we knew we had gone the right way. Oddly enough, we hadn't come across any Dracs. Which meant we had to be extra careful. Whenever we think we get lucky, that's when we're toast.

The four of us hid behind a wall, staying hidden from the people in the auditorium. We lifted our masks so we could talk. "Okay, no Dracs yet. We need to be on our toes. There have to be some somewhere around here. Korse doesn't have leaders walking around unattended." Poison said, trying to think things through.

"There should be a few, but they're probably hidden from the people, either in these hallways or outside the gym, waiting on a signal to hide when the people get dismissed." Ghoul said, inputting his ideas.

"So we find one, take him down, and boom! We have inside access." Jet smiled, happy the plan seemed so easy.

"Where should we-" I began, but shut up immediately. There was a footstep nearby. Someone was listening. We all looked in the direction and spotted a teenage girl in a blue dress. Figures the goody-two-shoes had to overhear us.

Jet sprinted to catch her as the three of us followed, guns still in hand. He grabbed her, one arm around her waist, the other around her neck. We needed to find out how much she knew.

-XXX-

I had originally left for a bathroom break. I didn't mean to stumble upon a gang in mid-mission. When I heard voices, I got scared and stood dead still, listening. They were coming from another hallway. I silently looked around the corner.

There were four guys. All masked, all had weapons. I hid back behind the wall and pushed myself up against it to try to catch their conversation. "So we find one, take him down, and boom! We have inside access." One said.

I didn't know who he was talking about, and quite frankly, I didn't want to. There was this feeling they were part of something bigger than I wanted to concern myself with. Weighing my options, I figured leaving now would be my best bet, before the came around the corner and killed me for just being there.

I turned to walk slowly and quietly away, but tripped over the hem of my dress. My right foot crashed down on the tile. Silence. My heart hammered in my chest. I looked around the corner to see if they heard me. They had.

Before I heard the man's footsteps coming after me, I ran faster than I ever had. Never had I been so happy to be wearing sneakers. But he was faster. He caught up to me, and put an arm around my neck, keeping me silent for fear of him choking me to death. The man held me still with his other arm around my stomach. Never had I been so scared in my life.

I was totally hopeless.

**Thanks again for the reviews I got! You guys are so awesome! :D (And to Carry- this is the only site I upload to.) It's nice to know people are reading this and like it! I'm gonna try my best to continue uploading every Friday. I hope you guys liked this chapter- we finally see the Fabulous Killjoys! Review? :)**


	4. Chapter 4

**Sorry to leave you with a bit of a cliffhanger last time... Gotta make life interesting, right? I hope you guys like this chapter! :)**

Chapter Four

"Well, well, well." One of the guys taunted as the three of them walked towards me. The guy behind me kept his arm tight around my neck. I squirmed, trying unsuccessfully to get out of his grasp. "Look what we found eavesdropping."

The guy with the red hair shot the guy with the zombie mask a look. "We just want answers." He tried, reminding me of a good-cop, bad-cop interrogation. "What did you hear?"

"Nothing." I choked out, trying to pry the guy's arm from my neck. He loosened it slightly. "I didn't hear anything."

"Oh, I doubt that." The one with the zombie mask muttered.

"Nothing at all?" The red-head pressed. He looked me straight in the eyes.

"Nothing that made sense anyway." I said, admitting the truth. "Can you let go of me now?"

My request remained unheard. I caused an outburst from Zombie Man. "Which means that you heard something and you plan on going to authorities and reciting everything you did hear, am I right?"

I stayed silent for a moment, pondering my options. At this point, there wasn't much I could do. I could act weak and listen to whatever they tell me to do, or I could try to play the upper hand. Or at least act like it. I decided to give that option a go.

"Maybe. Why? Is your plan to keep me here? Not exactly a smart move on your part."

"Oh, yeah?" He asked, taking a few steps towards me. "And why is that?"

"See my dress? I have to be awarded in... Give or take two minutes. It might look strange if I don't show up."

For a while, Zombie Man just stared at me. Then he muttered something profane and walked back to his friend. The red-head rubbed his temples. "Okay, look. You know too much. So, you either go on with your life pretending this never happened and we kill you the second we think you'll spill, or we kill you now and get it over with."

"I vote Plan B!" Zombie Man raised his hand.

"We can't just kill her." A voice spoke from my far right. I tried to turn my head to see a guy standing there with a helmet and slightly soiled jeans. James.

"And why not? We can't just watch her every minute of every day!" Zombie Man yelled, exasperated, to James.

"Ghoul, I'm not going to stand here while you kill an innocent girl!" James yelled back.

"At the moment, I have to agree with Kobra. We should let her live." The guy holding me said.

"I agree. Sorry, Ghoul." The red-head apologized to his angry friend and walked over to me. He stood a foot and a half away. "Listen. You probably know who we are. But we need you to stay silent. It'll be just as bad for you as it is for us if you rat us out. We'll let you go, but we'll keep an eye on you for a while. Don't make this more difficult than it needs to be."

I nodded as the guy holding me let me go. With shaky limbs, I managed to smooth out my dress, and fix my hair. Zombie Man groaned and stomped over to the red-head. The guy who was holding me looked like he had something to say to Zombie Man. As I walked past James, I turned around on impulse and grabbed his shoulder.

He turned, braced for a fight. "Thank you, James." I whispered and quickly turned around and speed-walked back towards the auditorium.

My mind was racing a thousand miles a minute as my heart thumped furiously in my chest. I nearly tripped over my own two feet while I was about to walk back into the auditorium. I shut the door quietly and quickly as I sat down back at my chair. I didn't hear Liam the first time he asked if I was okay.

"I just had to fix something." I muttered as I tried to calm my racing heart.

"I was beginning to think you fell in." Mark smirked.

I had made it back just in time. They were announcing our names and telling us to come onstage. I wiped away everything that just happened and used my mindset from a few days ago, when everything was normal. _'Give me strength, Jeremy'_ I thought to myself as I put a smile on my face and strode behind Liam up the stairs to the stage.

-XXX-

"What was that?!" Ghoul shouted and gave me a death glare. He threw his hands in the air dramatically.

"She thanked me." I told him quietly. "Since I wasn't jumping at the chance to slaughter her."

"How did she know your name, then?" He asked, putting his hands on his hips and raising his eyebrows.

"She doesn't."

"I thought I heard your name. Your old name."

"Well, you heard wrong."

We stared at each other for a while. Poison watched us curiously. Usually I wasn't this forward with people. But no way was I telling him she knew me. That could get her in even more trouble. I didn't want to get her involved more than she had to be. Not after everything else.

"Alright, we need to get out of here. It's too late to find a Drac if the ceremony's almost over." Poison said, taking his ray gun back out of his holster.

"We won't be able to come back for a while." Jet said, doing the same but with a slight frown on his face. He looked at his shoes trying to think of another occasion nearly as big as this. But we were all blank.

"We should go, before we get seen." I said, motioning back towards the hallway we had journeyed in. The four of us held up our guns and made our getaway, hopping into the convertible and speeding into the dry night before the citizens were released from the ceremony. After I turned around from the passenger seat and took a weary look at the city, I sunk further deep into the seat and did my best not to drift off in the darkness.

-XXX-

"Oh, honey, we're so proud of you!" My mother said as she squeezed me around my ribcage. She caught me by surprise and I was losing the air I required to breathe.

"Mom-" I choked out. She laughed and released me. "Thank you." I smiled at her and gave my dad a hug after he transferred a bouquet of flowers into my arms. Roses. They were beautiful.

Next to our reunion, Liam was being embraced by his parents. Ralphie saw I was free and jogged over to give me a hug. "I like your shoes." He whispered in my ear before I pulled away. I smirked at him while he turned to hug his brother. Our parents began conversing while Liam smiled at me and wrapped me in a bear hug.

"We're almost done, Abby. It's so insane." Liam said. His words echoed in my brain. He was right. We only had a year until we were forced into adulthood. I pulled away and smiled a rueful smile. The years had flown by so fast.

I looked at Liam for a second. "Hey, um, would you mind coming with me while I, uh... Go visit my brother?" I looked down at my shoes, and realized I was still holding my bouquet of roses.

"Of course." Liam smiled warmly and told Ralphie and our families that we were headed a few blocks over. When they saw the redness of my eyes, they knew where we were going, and they trusted we'd get there and back okay. The two of us walked out the doors of the school.

We walked in silence, the noise from the wrapping of the roses louder than it needed to be. It wasn't an awkward silence though. We both had things on our mind, and Liam must've respected what I was going to do, and remained quiet so I could think to myself. A tear rolled down my cheek.

A few blocks down the road, the school was nearly out of our sight. Liam opened the gate of the fence for me as we stepped onto the grass. It was dark, but my eyes were adjusting to the darkness and could easily navigate through. I walked to the very middle of the grassy area and kneeled down. Liam stood behind me. I ran my fingers over the words carved into the stone.

Jeremy Nelson

2003-2021

"The greatest son and brother a family could have."

A sob escaped my mouth. I placed covered it with my hand. Another tear ran down my cheek. And another. I started shaking. I removed my hand to wipe away the tears. My hands shook as I removed a rose from my bouquet. I held it in my hands as I spoke.

"I really wish you could've been there tonight..." I whispered, my voice sounding unlike itself. "You always pushed me to do my best. I wish you could've been here for everything..." I sobbed, almost losing myself. "I wish you never left. You always said you would be there for me..." I wiped away more tears. "I love you, Jeremy. I love you so much. And I miss you more than anything." My eyes began to sting from the years. "I really do."

I placed the rose on his gravestone, and bowed my head in silence. I stood up and fell into Liam's shoulder, continuing to shake and cry. He wrapped his arms around me and rubbed my back. I sobbed, my whole frame violently shaking. Liam only held me tighter.

**Well, what do you guys think? Did you like this chapter? And within a few chapters, you will find out the connection between Abigail and James... You just might have to wait a few Fridays... I'm still trying to stick to updating on Fridays (although I usually try to get it done earlier in the day), but if I'm excited or I get enough reviews I may update earlier... Thanks for everybody who's reading! Review? :)**


	5. Chapter 5

**This chapter is a bit short, but I hope you guys like it anyway! :)**

Chapter Five

My blue eyes slowly opened, giving me a glimpse of the rays of sunshine lighting my room. I mustered up my strength and turned towards the window, now laying sideways. It was so desolate. From my field of view, I could see the sand stretch on, for what seemed like forever. It stood firmly, like a barrier between us and whatever may or may not be outside.

Battery City has always sparked my curiosity. They keep everyone contained here, with everything we need or could possibly want. If you look at it in a normal way, it's great. There's no hassle. But if you've been living normally for years and have been beginning to look at it differently, it's strange. They want to keep us here. Is it protection? Or are they hiding something?

I shook the thought from my head. Look at me. I spend ten minutes held captive by fugitives and I start thinking like them. I cannot do this to myself. To Better Living. Cannot take advantage of everything they have done for us.

My mind yearned for me to fall back asleep, but my body would not comply, and I ended up dressing and deciding to pay Liam and Ralphie a visit. I braided my hair to the side while walking down the stairs and gulped down some breakfast. My parents were out back gardening, planting some flowers that looked like lilies. They granted permission and I was out the door.

My high-tops thumped on the pavement as I walked to a steady tempo, trying to make myself look more confident than I was. A few strands of my bangs fell out of my braid, and I let them hang. After a few blocks, the heat began to kick in. It was the beginning of summer and the temperatures had begun to kick up during the day. And the direct sunlight wasn't helping. We hadn't had some rain for a little while.

I passed by Daisy's and my mind wandered back to the day I first saw James again. The Killjoys began to consume my thoughts as I began wondering how they could possibly live outside Battery City while being fugitives. It didn't exactly seem like the best career move.

A man was leaning against the side of the building as I passed by. He looked up slightly as I walked by. I stopped, and slowly turned around. "Keeping an eye on me, huh?" I asked, crossing my arms and smirking. "Making sure I don't rat you out?"

"I may or may not be on eavesdropper duty." Zombie Man looked away. He wasn't wearing his mask, just a bandana that covered half his face. He had long black hair.

"Tell your friends I promise I'm not going to say anything. I don't wanna get involved, and I don't wanna get you in trouble." I told him. And after a second I realized it really was the truth. I didn't want to get them in trouble... I spun on my heel, and continued walking. No need to cause a scene. Though I had a feeling if I had stuck around longer the two of us would've created one.

Zombie Man snickered as I walked away, as he sauntered around the back of the building, having felt his work was done. I rolled my eyes. I knew he didn't believe me.

Whatever. It doesn't matter anyway. I knew I was telling the truth. And for once, without a care in the world, I decided to give myself the grand ol' tour of Battery City.

-XXX-

"Can you get me a coffee?" I asked the waitress, who nodded and left my table to head back into the kitchen to start the pot. I had managed to find a small restaurant in the heart of Battery City. It was a bit run down, but I had decided that was best since I'd probably be grounded for life if my parents caught me exploring.

I had been walking for a few hours, just walking. Looking at everything. Everyone. Maybe I was trying to find something. Maybe I just wanted to be free. Maybe I was insane. The adrenaline I felt had kept me going for a little while, but I was beginning to feel run down. I rested my head in my hands.

"Tired, sweetie?" A coarse voice wondered from my left. At the next table, a man with weary eyes and stubble was looking at me. His dark brown hair nearly covered his brown eyes. "You look like something's bothering you."

"Just having a long day." I responded, trying to remain polite in the face of creepiness. The look he had in his eyes frightened me.

"I can tell. Aren't we all?" He asked, looking around and raising his hands. "Anyone around here anyway. You look young. Just get out of school?"

Slowly, I nodded. A little fib never hurt anyone. "Well," he picked up a glass and took a sip, "you'll see how this city works. I was once a youth, fascinated by the big city." The man paused, and looked out the window. In that instant, I realized he couldn't be many years older than I was. "I was excited to become my own person. But this city chews you up and spits you out. They want you to think this is utopia." He chuckled, a dark sound, and shook his head. "You don't see the skeletons until you're already trapped."

The man looked down, almost seeming drained from his anecdote. I looked at him quizzically. "Who are you?"

"That's of no importance. Not before, not now..." He trailed off, looking distant. "Not ever."

"You remind me of someone I used to know. What do you do?" I asked timidly.

"Me? Oh, I'm security. Worst place to be, too. You'd be surprised how much I hear." He was quiet. "And how much I have to hide."

"Do you know about the outside?" I turned to face him, eager for his answer. He kept a professional poker face. "About... The runaways?"

"Look, sweetie, I can't tell you everything. Both our heads would be on the line. Sorry." He shrugged, and proceeded to lean closer to me. I did the same. In a whisper, he said, "They're coming back strong. They might have a chance."

We leaned back to our positions. Suddenly, I knew what I wanted to do. Another rush of adrenaline came over me, and I let it guide me. I fished around in my pocket for some money. "Give this to my waitress, okay?" I asked the man, who nodded. He gave me a smile as I stood up and pushed in my chair. "Thank you." I smiled at the man.

"Wait." He said and got up from his table. His head stood a good four inches above mine. "I'm Graham. In case we ever meet again."

"Abigail." I smiled once more and nearly jogged out the door. I needed to get home.

-XXX-

It was mid-afternoon, and my parents were out eating an early dinner with their boss. The house stood empty as I walked up the street. But instead of heading inside and making myself something to eat, I made my way to the backyard. I took a deep breath.

"Hey! I know one of you is here! I wanna talk to you!" I yelled, spinning around to see where one of the runaways could be. I half-expected to see them all ride in in a flashy convertible with guns blazing, but instead the red-head with the yellow mask walked tentatively around the side of my house. I began to speak.

"Okay, so, today I was walking around Battery City trying to find something I wasn't sure of," I began, and the red-head cocked his head slightly, "and at first I didn't think I found what I was looking for, but I met someone who showed me that I did. Everywhere I looked people were bland. All dressed in grays, blacks and whites. They looked like they were stuck in a boring rut. And no one really seemed happy.

"And the man I met... He seemed so broken and defeated. Like he no longer cared about anything anymore. It made me feel horrible. But our conversation went on, and I found out that under all that suffering, he had something, however small, to hold onto. A tiny piece of hope that this misery could be wiped away. And it was you. He hoped that you could be the one to save us.

"Now, I don't know why you do what you do, or why you started to do what you do in the first place, but I want to know why you fight. I want to know what you fight for. Because now I feel like I know. And I'm beginning to understand. And...

"I think I want to be a Killjoy."

**I know this chapter is a little short, but trust me- the next chapter is longer, and VERY interesting. You'll just have to wait until next Friday! Thank you to my reviewer! I love hearing from you guys! I know somebody's reading this story! I've been managing to update on Fridays still, so stay tuned for the next chapter. Thank you to everyone who's reading, reviewing, alerting, favoriting, and so on! Review? Please? :)**


	6. Chapter 6

**Alright, guys- here's the next chapter! Hope you like it. :)**

Chapter Six

"I think I want to be a Killjoy."

The words rang in the empty air. The idea had tugged on my mind while I was walking around. I never really understood why people would rebel against Better Living, but when I saw the guys... Something changed. I felt like these people were actually fighting for something. Against something. And it almost felt like I wanted to be a part of it.

Naturally, I had no idea where this was coming from, because I was supposed to be Better Living's star pupil, but that almost made it seem all the more... Dangerous. And enticing. I found myself drawn to the unknown. And I wanted to know why. I thought maybe I could get a taste of what they did and why, if that was okay with them.

I looked curiously at the red-head, wondering what he would do. For a while he didn't respond. My thoughts went all over the place. He would turn me down. He would shoot me right now. He would anonymously turn me over to be exterminated. The possibilities were endless, and they got worse and worse with the suspense that-

"I didn't see that one coming." He finally said, as I snapped out of my reverie. "It's a bit more involved than just saying you want to join though. I have to talk to the guys. One of us will be back tomorrow." He began to walk away.

"That's it? I'll just find one of you tomorrow?" I yelled to him, as his frame continued to get smaller around the side of my house.

"For right now- yeah." The red-head said definitively, and I knew the conversation was over. I sighed. I wasn't exactly sure how this would go over with the others. There was a sense of gratefulness inside me that it had been the red-head here. He seemed like the most... Rational.

If if were up to Zombie Man, I'd have been dead a few days ago. He'd probably go against it, not wanting to be involved with me more than necessary. James would probably be willing to let me at least spend some time with them. And I had no idea about the guy who had held me. It could go either way. I just needed to tough it out and wait.

Which, of course, was easier said than done.

-XXX-

I had finished all the end-of-year projects while my parents were out eating. The graduating class always had a few days less of the school year than everyone else. We only had three days left, so our projects were getting wrapped up and grades were being finalized. I was looking forward to relaxing in the summer at home for a little while before I needed to start my apprenticeship.

Since Liam, Mark and I were the top three of our class, we each get a month's trial of a job in the Tower. It runs throughout the month of August and gives us a week between the job and our last school year. It's a very big, very prestigious reward.

Not that we get any say. We're just carted into it, as they assume we would love an extra month of labor on top of the school year. Although, it is nice to know that we're pretty much guaranteed a spot in the Tower when we begin adulthood. I guess it's a silver-lining type of thing.

I always wondered what it was like to be up in the Tower. What it looked like inside. How great the view must be at the top. I always imagined all the people smiling and friendly, talking to each other while they worked on whatever needed to be done. Maybe they even took their lunch break together. I used to yearn for that.

But now... I realize most of that probably never happens. The Tower is probably as gray inside as it is outside and is probably filled with workers who keep to themselves and finish what they were assigned. They probably don't know half of what happens in Battery City. They're probably handled like we citizens are.

I wonder who really knows the truth.

-XXX-

"So did you hear the rumors?" A voice purred from behind me as Mark sauntered to where I was standing and perched himself on a nearby desk. His eyes sparkled with gossip. He was always one of the kids in tune with latest news.

"Probably not." I said absent-mindedly while I headed over to my desk and placed my backpack on my chair. Mark followed me and sat on the desk adjacent to mine. "I'm not one to splurge into likely false stories."

"Ah, but do you know they're false?" He grinned and raised his eyebrows. I opened my mouth to respond, but he wouldn't let me say something else disproving. "I heard that we had some visitors at the ceremony this weekend..."

"What kind of visitors?"

Mark stood and stepped closer to me. "The kind that I remember you always had an interest in as a kid." In a barely audible voice he whispered, "Killjoys," in my ear.

I jumped back. "Nuh uh." How did he know? How did anybody know? If they knew about them, they might know about me. I would be in deep trouble. Mark mistook my shock as wonder and smiled, thinking he broke through. "M-hm. I thought you might be interested in that."

At that moment Miss Caroline appeared in the doorway and everyone was getting into their seats before I could ask Mark anything about what he heard. Liam clambered into his seat next to mine as Mark strode to the back of the room. Everything went on as usual with the exception that I didn't hear a word of what Miss Caroline was saying. I was going crazy.

It was a combination of what Mark said and what the Killjoys were going to say. Mark scared me because I don't know how he found out they were there. As far as I knew, I was the only one who'd seen them. And the way he was acting... It seemed like he saw it himself. Which would be very, very bad.

All of a sudden, everyone was pulling stuff out of their backpacks and standing up. That was when I realized Miss Caroline must have told us to do something. I looked over helplessly at Liam. "What just happened?" I asked him.

"We're turning in our chem project..." He gave me a strange look. "Are you okay? You're not paying attention and you seem really jittery today..."

"I'm okay." I told him, while we dug out each half of our project from our backpacks. "I was just thinking about stuff."

"Well, that's the lamest excuse you've given me." Liam laughed. We walked to Miss Caroline's desk and placed the project on the stack of the others. Then we sat back down in our seats. "But I guess I think about stuff a lot too." He ran a hand through his short, blonde hair.

"See? It's not lame." I stuck out my tongue, causing him to smile.

For the rest of the day, I actually paid attention to what everyone was saying and tried to stay out of my mind in hopes it would make time move quicker. And it helped a little bit. It still moved too slow for my taste though. I had managed to get in a heated debate about which color is the best with Liam, which consumed most of our walk.

When I got home I told my mother the excuse I had all planned out from this morning's intense thinking, and said I would be at Liam's and I didn't know how long we'd be. She allowed me to go, and instead I went straight to Daisy's- the only place I could think they might be.

My hunch was right, and I saw the red-head once more- this time in a standard gray uniform. Although his vibrant dyed hair was a bit of a giveaway. I walked over to him, who silently led me in the direction away from Battery City. He looked back once, and then grabbed hold of my hand. "In case someone's watching." He whispered quietly, the first thing he said to me all day.

I felt my face turn red as I tried to keep my palm from sweating. This was the first time a boy had ever touched me, and yet I didn't even know his name.

We continued walking until I saw a convertible in the distance. The red-head let go of my hand and jumped into the driver's seat. I cautiously opened the passenger door and sat down, feeling rather uncomfortable. This was one of the few times I had been in a car, and certainly the first that was spray painted colors like red and blue, with what looked like a spider in black.

The drive to wherever we were going was long. At first the silence was awkward. I wasn't sure if he was going to say anything or if I should attempt to start a conversation. The idea of small talk seemed all the more awkward, and eventually I settled into the silence, which slowly lost its uncomfortableness.

Eventually we drove up to what seemed to be a run down house. It looked dilapidated and crippled, like it might collapse in any given second. The doors were shut tight and the windows were covered so it looked like it wasn't occupied. The yellow paint, faded by the sun, was peeling, and half the shutters were hanging crooked. But we pulled into a garage around the back and the red-head hit a button on a remote in the car that shut the door behind us.

We got out of the car, and he led me to the door into the house. I took a deep breath and nodded. He took my cue and opened the door, which squeaked on it's hinges. The two of us stepped into the house, and I tentatively followed him into a kitchen.

"Welcome back." The guy who had once held me the night of the ceremony greeted his friend. Now that I could see him I realized he had a wild brown afro. His expression looked somewhere between grimness and amusement.

More footsteps followed as two more people entered the kitchen. I recognized James and Zombie Man right away. James leaned against a counter awkwardly and avoided eye contact while Zombie Man had his arms crossed and his lips pursed, as if pouting. "I guess it's orientation time." The red-head said, looking at each one in turn.

"Where's Deathwish?" The guy with the afro looked around. The others then did the same. Then I heard another set of footsteps from another room and a voice, apologizing that he had thought he lost his raygun.

I turned around and my eyes scanned a tall guy, who had dirty blonde hair that was nearly all brown. His light blue eyes sparkled with a hidden intensity I found so familiar. He was dressed in blue jeans that accentuated his long, lanky legs, and a leather jacket that, had it been two sizes bigger, probably would've swallowed him. And on his index finger he had a scar that traveled halfway around, from when he had been helping in the kitchen and the knife had slipped from his grasp.

Standing in front of me was my brother, Jeremy.

**Oooh. Cliffie. :) Haha, so special thanks to Dark Shaddow for the THIRD review (you're awesome, and yes, I do like cliffhangers)! I have bad news though- I'm going to vacation for about a week, and I won't be able to update next Friday. :( But, if I get a review or two (no limit to the number of course) I might post the next chapter on Thursday before I go. After that, I'm not sure. I'll try to have it out on the first of September (which is coming too soon!).**

**So, I hope you guys like it, thanks for the support, and review! You guys rock. :)**


	7. Chapter 7

**Here's the next chapter, you guys. Hope you like it. :)**

Chapter Seven

For a second that felt like an hour, I lost control of my legs, as I stood there gaping at the guy. Then I regained the use of my tongue and muttered, "Jeremy," before running into his arms and squeezing him as tight as I could. I began to cry as I pulled away and tried to come up with a complete sentence. "How did... I thought... But you..."

Jeremy looked down at me. His eyes filled with guilt as he gave me a small smile. "I guess I should explain, huh?"

"Wait- you two know each other?" Zombie Man questioned, shocked and confused.

Jeremy stood beside me in the kitchen doorway, and looked at each of the guys in turn. "I'd like you to meet Abigail." He said, and turned to me. "My sister."

Zombie Man's eyes widened and his jaw dropped, while the man with the afro just raised his eyebrows. The red-head looked as if he had suspected something along those lines, and he slightly nodded to himself. The stolid look remained on James's face. I wiped a tear from my cheek, as I turned to face my brother, preparing for his explanation.

"Well, I guess you can see that I'm not dead..." Jeremy started awkwardly. "You remember 2019, right? The one year where everyone was talking about the Killjoys?" I nodded. "Well, Poison was part of them. He joined at eighteen, and tried to fight back while the numbers dwindled. Kobra and I decided to help and join them.

"I was selected to join Security, and I passed all my findings to the Killjoys, and helped them remain hidden. Eventually they found out I was the rat, and they tried to kill me. The guys saved me just in time. But I was supposed to be executed. No one could know that I became part of the rebels. Because the rebels aren't supposed to exist. They told you I was killed on the job. They never put a body in my coffin. It's just a hollow shell, waiting for me.

"So I'm sorry that you were lied to, and that you had to go through all that. I've always regretted leaving you. But if you ever found out about me, you'd be... Well, six feet under."

He finished his anecdote solemnly, and stared at his feet. My brain was spinning. So much was going through my head. I tried to focus on something to keep me sane, but my mind was was all over the place from everything I had just found out. The shock I had felt over the past few days was building up, and I felt it burst in my head.

I began to breathe heavily and I felt my heart rate quicken. I closed my eyes and sank to the floor, my head between my legs, and my arms tight around my ankles. "Abigail?" Someone asked. "Abby?" I heard my brother's voice. My hearing began getting fuzzy like I was underwater and my vision slowly started to go. The last thing I felt was a hand on my back before the darkness enclosed around me.

-XXX-

I stirred and awoke to find myself on a mattress in a room with beige walls and two other mattresses along the walls. My head was pounding, but it felt relieved, like it had just gotten over a migraine. It took me a minute to remember where the heck I was.

James was sitting on the mattress across from mine. When he saw my eyes open he gave a small smile. "Good morning, sleeping beauty."

A wave of panic shot through me. "Morning?! I slept through half the day?!"

He laughed quietly. "No, it was just an expression. You haven't been out for too long." After he calmed me down, he stood up and began to move for the door.

"Wait." I said, and he turned to look at me. "Just gimme a little time to get my bearings."

James nodded and sat back down on his mattress. I sat up and held my head tightly, like it would burst. The pounding eventually subsided after a little while. I looked over at James, who was studying me carefully. "I guess this is a lot to take in? I remember you had a panic attack once before."

"I thought my brother was dead for a year now. Right when I was getting used to his absence, he gets thrown back into my life, along with his best friend and his older brother and two guys who probably hate me, with strange names and a bounty on their head so bad that the general public isn't even supposed to know they exist." I began rambling. "Yeah. I'm a bit overwhelmed."

"I'm sorry I couldn't tell you. I didn't realize you'd be sticking around." He looked down guiltily.

"If your zombie friend doesn't slaughter me first."

"Ghoul? Oh, don't worry about him. He may not like you but we'll make sure he doesn't kill you."

"Excuse me, his name is Ghoul?"

James smiled again. "We all have Killjoy names. Like, nicknames. We can't have people knowing who we are, so we give ourselves new names. He's Fun Ghoul, the one with the afro is Jet Star, my brother is Party Poison, I'm Kobra Kid, and your brother is Bulletproof Deathwish. And, it'd be nice if you could call me Kobra. People get kinda sensitive when you mention who we were..." He trailed off, breaking eye contact and staring at the wall.

"Alright. And uh... Sorry for fainting on you guys. I'm new here." I apologized sheepishly. James smiled back reassuringly, and stood up, offering his hand to help me up. Together, the two of us walked out of the room, and back into the kitchen, where the other guys were talking.

-XXX-

I ushered Abigail out of the bedroom into the kitchen. The guys had been fiercely debating one thing or another, but automatically quieted when we walked in. Their eyes landed on her as she struggled to keep eye contact with them all. She offered a small smile. "Sorry 'bout that..."

"It's okay, it's a lot." Deathwish sympathized with her, returning the smile.

"So why did you originally bring me here?" Abigail asked quietly, tearing her eyes from her brother to look at Poison.

"We were going to test you to see whether you'd make a good member of our group." Poison shrugged. "There isn't exactly a set decorum in a situation like this."

"Alright, so what do I have to do?"

"Rob a bank." Ghoul spat. I glared at him. He raised his hands trying to look innocent.

"First, answer me this: why do you want to join us?" Poison leaned back against a counter, awaiting the girl's answer.

She fidgeted with her hands and shifted from one leg to the other. But then her whole expression changed as she looked Poison in the eye and stood up straight. She had a burst of confidence. "I grew up hearing about the brave Killjoys, who lived on the run from Better Living for fighting against them. When I was younger, I imagined you guys as the bad guys, trying to bring Better Living down.

"But now I realize you guys are the good guys. You're fighting for freedom and expression and rights and what the world used to be. I want to be a part of that. I want to help save the world. And I would be so incredibly honored if you allowed me to stand beside all of you and join your battle for freedom." Abigail's eyes traveled from each of us, looking for a reaction. There was a minute of painful silence.

"I say she passed." Deathwish broke the silence. Jet and I nodded and Ghoul just gave a small, "Humph."

Poison spoke to her. "You passed the first test. From here on you'll be a rookie. We'll teach you what we do and you'll have to learn to adopt the lifestyle, because sooner or later you'll end up on the run with us. Obviously, you must keep everything a secret. Your parents do not know your brother is dead, and it must remain that way. You cannot tell anyone. Not your parents, not that smart boyfriend of yours, nobody."

Abigail's cheeks went slightly red at the mention of her friend, but she nodded solemnly and swore she would remain loyal to us. We realized she had been here for a few hours and she needed to get back home before anybody got suspicious. Poison offered to drive her back, and he pulled the keys out of one of the drawers.

Deathwish hugged his sister good-bye, as Abigail began to cry again. He whispered something reassuring in her ear and wiped her tears away, as she fought to keep a smile on her face. Abigail waved to the rest of us, and I smiled as her blue eyes locked on mine. Poison escorted her into the garage as the two left the house we called home.

-XXX-

The ride home was not nearly as painfully awkward as the ride there. The red-head, whose name I believed was Party Poison, and I sat in a comfortable silence for a good half of the way. While he gripped the steering wheel, I decided to ask him a question. "Why did you join them?"

At first he seemed taken back at the question, probably surprised I had broken the silence. For a while he didn't answer, and I begun to think it was too personal a question. "I'm sorry, I guess that's a bit-"

"I just don't like looking back on who I was. It's painful." He responded softly.

"I understand. I'm sorry." I apologized, hanging my head. "That was too personal. I'm sorry." I looked out the window at the endless stretch of sand. The sun was beginning to set along the cloudless, multi-colored horizon. It was beautiful. The end of one day, marking the beginning of the next.

Poison and I sat in silence the rest of the way.

**Firstly, I would like to say sorry. It's been a while since I updated, and I meant to update sooner, but after vacation I had some family things and now school is pretty much in full swing, I got into my school musical and I took rough classes this year. (Why, I'm not sure.) But anyway, I would've like to have had this out sooner. Hopefully the next one will be out soon-ish. I'd like to get back onto my update-every-Friday ritual, but for now I'm gonna focus on the writing part. xD**

**So review, you guys, and let me know what you think, whether you liked it, what you think's gonna happen, anything. Within a few chapters the action and awesome level is gonna jump super high. I'm personally very excited. Thanks to all of you for reading. Review? :3**


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